The Rugby Championship kicks off for 2017 this weekend, starting with old foes New Zealand and Australia facing off in a match that doubles as the first of the three-match Bledisloe Cup series. So where will the two matches be played, what time do they kick off, and who will feature?

A world class men's 200m freestyle final at the Commonwealth Games trials in Brisbane on Wednesday night not only had Australia's young guns pumped for Glasgow but also a mooted 2015 showdown with the great Phelps.

And why not - perennial bridesmaid Cameron McEvoy claimed his maiden national title by clinching 200m gold in a personal best one minute, 45.46 seconds - the fastest time in the world this year and worthy of a medal at the 2013 world titles.

The only Australian to have swum a 200m faster is former Olympic champion Ian Thorpe (1:44.06).

McEvoy touched out Thomas Fraser-Holmes (1:45.58) who set a 200m PB along with 400m national champion David McKeon (1:46.37) and fourth-placed Ned McKendry (1:47.16).

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And fifth-placed Mack Horton, 17, set a world junior record time of 1:47.36.

Throw in the 200m relay squad's remarkable bond and Fraser-Holmes is backing their team to reclaim their early 2000s world beating form - even if Phelps is in the mix at the 2015 world titles in Russia.

"Definitely. He's the best swimmer of all time and if he does the 4x200 freestyle relay it's just going to get the boys fired up even more," Fraser-Holmes said.

"I don't want to say we're going to be the next best team.

"(But) we're quietly confident on what we're going to do.

"We've all got good times and we're all good mates, so we're all pulling for each other."

Record 18-time Olympic gold medallist Phelps' coach Bob Bowman said last month his charge could target the 2014 US Championships in August, the 2015 world titles selection meet.

Bowman said Phelps, 28, would likely concentrate on relays if he returned.

Fraser-Holmes relished the challenge after one of the great national 200m freestyle finals.

"How good's the (200m) relay going to be? It's going to be insane. The depth is just unreal," he said.

"I am the oldest member at 22.

"We hang out, we get along well.

"I usually never talk before a race but every time I race those guys we have a bit of a laugh for a few seconds then get back to it - it's good to have that."